Knitting needle



Patented Feb. 7, .1939

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE lclaim.

My invention relates to .improvements in needles, principally for knitting machines, and it is the primary-object of my invention to provide a needle which may be equally well used in any type of knitting machines, either of the cylinder or of the dial type.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a knitting needle of this character which is very durable, and will not break easily under the stresses due to the operation of the machine,

which is often the case with needles used heretofore in this kind of work, and by means of which the transfer of the loops is readily accomplished without danger of injury to the fabric or.

goods.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a knitting needle, the shaft of which is equipped with a laterally proj ecting loop or curved leaf spring which may be curving to both sides and serves to frictionally guide the needle in its groove within the needle bed, so that it may readily open for the reception of the loop upon its projection beyond the needle bed.

A still further object of my invention is the I provision of a knitting needle which may be secured or made with its shaft in various ways contributing-to the adaptability and strength of the needle.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a knitting needle which is comparatively simple in its construction and economically to manufacture, yet highly efficient in use.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will become more fully known as the 5 description thereof proceeds, and will then be specifically defined in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a needle bed illustrating a plurality of needles constructed according to my invention in their various consecutive positions during the operation of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a needle construct- 5 ed according to my invention.

Fig. 3a is a front elevation thereof.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of another form of needle.

Fig. 5 is an edge view of a modified form of needle.

As illustrated, the needle bed 10 has the usual plurality of grooves i I for the reception and guidance of the needles to be actuated by the usual mechanism.

Each of the needles has a. shaft l2 provided with the usual boss or hub I3 for engagement by the machine operated cams, a hook it for engaging the loops, and a latch l5 cooperating therewith.

According to my invention, each needle shaft has attached thereto or combined therewith a. laterally outwardly or inwardly curved leaf spring I6 having its pointed end I! behind an abutment l8 to limit its backward stroke after each operation. As shown in Figures 3 and 3a the leaf spring is formed integrally with the shaft l2, as

at l9, or it is, as shown in Figure 4, soldered to a shoulder 20 of the shaft.

In the form of needle illustrated in Figure 5, the spring 2| is formed separately, and is secured by means of its lower, angularly bent end 22 engaging a slot endwise, which slot is made in the needle shaft below the shoulder 23; for further security, the angularly bent end may be held in its slot by solder or the like fastening means.

In operation, the curved spring held compressed in the grooves of the needle bed, will expand as soon as the needle is pushed out to engage the loop and will present acomparatively wide opening so that the transfer of the loops can readily be effected without danger to the thread or fabric. The cooperating horizontal needles are guided in the bed 24.

It will be understood that I have described and 0 shown the preferred forms of my invention only as a few examples of the many possible ways to practically construct my invention, and that I may make such changes in its general arrangement, and in the construction of the minor parts thereof as come within the scope of the appended claim without departure from the spirit of my invention. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A knitting needle as described comprising a shaft having a slit formed therein, a spring curved to both sides of the shaft and having an angulariy bent lower end adapted to be engaged into the slit of the shaft and secured thereto, said spring pressed against the shaft during the guidance of the needle in its bed and opening to present a comparatively wide opening for engagement of the loops when leaving the needle bed.

O'I'IO KUNZMANN. 

